REGISTER FOR THE 2015 TEXAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE!
The 2015 Texas Emergency Management Conference will be held Tuesday, May 12 through Friday, May 15, 2015, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.

Each year TDEM hosts this premier event, which brings together thousands of emergency management and law enforcement professionals, local elected officials, private sector partners, first responders, voluntary organizations and many others from across the state. The conference provides a full spectrum of emergency management-related workshops and trainings, as well as exhibits from a wide array of vendors.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in response to states’ requests, has granted Section 18 emergency use exemptions for Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Texas. Section 18 approvals are pending in five other states, according to Dow AgroSciences, producer of Transform.

Grain sorghum producers in four Southern states will again have Transform available to help manage sugarcane aphid infestations.

Dow describes Transform as a fast-acting insecticide from a proprietary class of chemistry introduced commercially in 2013 in cotton, potatoes, canola, soybeans and other crops. Last year, Section 18s were granted in several states for control of sugarcane aphids in sorghum.

Sugarcane aphids first appeared in sorghum in 2013, mostly in Texas and Louisiana, and by last year spread to 300 counties and parishes in 12 states. The insect pest feeds on plant sap, causing foliage to turn purple and yellow and reducing yield. The aphid also produces a sticky honeydew that collects on leaves and stalks, creating reduced harvest efficiency and clogged combines.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A TORNADO
American Red Cross

During any storm, listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.

Know your community's warning system. Communities have different ways of warning residents about tornados, with many having sirens intended for outdoor warning purposes.

Pick a safe room in your home where household members and pets may gather during a tornado. This should be a basement, storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.

Practice periodic tornado drills so that everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching.

Consider having your safe room reinforced. Plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection can be found on the FEMA web site.

Prepare for high winds by removing diseased and damaged limbs from trees.

Move or secure lawn furniture, trash cans, hanging plants or anything else that can be picked up by the wind and become a projectile.

Watch for tornado danger signs:

Dark, often greenish clouds – a phenomenon caused by hail

Wall cloud – an isolated lowering of the base of a thunderstorm

Cloud of debris

Large hail

Funnel cloud – a visible rotating extension of the cloud base

Roaring noise

GOOGLE EARTH PRO IS NOW FREE!
Use of Google Earth Pro requires a valid license key. As of January 20, 2015, Earth Pro licenses are now free. After getting your Earth Pro license, you can register, download, install, and sign in to start using Earth Pro's advanced features.

If you do not have a key, use your email address and the key GEPFREE to sign in.

Refunds for purchases made before licenses became free are no longer available (refunds are available for only 30 days after purchase).

Earth Pro system requirements

PC: Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7

Mac: Mac OS X 10.6.0 or later

If you do not have a key, use your email address and the key GEPFREE to sign in.

Existing license keys have already been extended, so if you already have a license then you can keep using Earth Pro without ever needing to renew again.